| Artist: | Mary Chapin Carpenter |
| Studio: | 16 |
| Compilation: | 4 |
| Video: | 3 |
| Live: | 2 |
| Singles: | 41 |
| Music Videos: | 15 |
| Option: | 88 |
| Option Name: | Other appearances |
The discography of American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter consists of 16 studio albums, four compilation albums, three video albums, 41 singles, 15 music videos, and 88 album appearances. After recording a demo tape, she was signed to Columbia Records in 1987 and released her debut studio album Hometown Girl (1987).[1] In June 1989, Carpenter's second studio album State of the Heart was issued, which transitioned more towards country music.[2] Among its four singles, both "Never Had It So Good" and "Quittin' Time" became top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.[1]
Carpenter entered the 1990s with her third album, Shooting Straight in the Dark, which was released in October 1990 and certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. Its third single "Down at the Twist and Shout" won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1992 and became a top 10 hit. In June 1992, Carpenter released Come On Come On, which became her best-selling record. From seven singles issued, the songs "I Feel Lucky", "Passionate Kisses", and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" became top 10 hits on the Billboard country chart.[1] Her fifth album Stones in the Road (1994) debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 10 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single "Shut Up and Kiss Me" topped the Billboard country chart in 1994.[3] Her sixth studio release entitled A Place in the World (1996) certified gold in sales in the United States.[4] Party Doll and Other Favorites (1998) was Carpenter's first compilation album, also certifying gold in sales from the RIAA.[5]
Carpenter entered the 2000s with her seventh studio album Time* Sex* Love* (2001), debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.[6] The release was nominated by the Grammy Awards in 2002 for Best-Engineered Album.[5] Her second compilation album, The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter, was released in 2003. Her eighth studio album, Between Here and Gone was released in 2004. The record was co-produced by Carpenter and pianist Matt Rollings. She returned in 2007 with her ninth studio album The Calling on Zoë Records. The project debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart[7] and sold 100,000 copies within its first few weeks.[5] Carpenter's first holiday album, , was released in 2008.
Carpenter entered the 2010s with her 11th studio album, The Age of Miracles, released in April 2010.[1] Among other entries, The Age or Miracles debuted within the top 10 of the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart.[8] She followed with her 13th studio album Ashes and Roses (2012). Carpenter then collaborated with arranger Vince Mendoza to issue Songs from the Movie (2014), an album of orchestral music. In May 2016, The Things That We Are Made Of marked a return to traditional roots music and debuted at No. 8 on the Top Country Albums chart.[1] [9] Carpenter's 15th studio album Sometimes Just the Sky (2018) contained new versions of previously-recorded material and debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard folk albums chart.[1] [10] Carpenter's 16th studio album, The Dirt and the Stars, was released in 2020.
| Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [11] | US [12] | US [13] | AUS [14] | CAN [15] | CAN [16] | UK [17] [18] | ||||
| Hometown Girl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| State of the Heart |
| 183 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| |
| Shooting Straight in the Dark |
| 70 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| |
| Come On Come On |
| 31 | 6 | — | — | — | 4 | — | ||
| Stones in the Road |
| 10 | 1 | — | 81 | 29 | 1 | 26 |
| |
| A Place in the World |
| 20 | 3 | — | — | — | 13 | 36 |
| |
| Time* Sex* Love* |
| 52 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 57 | ||
| Between Here and Gone |
| 50 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 92 | ||
| The Calling |
| 59 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 95 | ||
| Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas |
| 155 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| The Age of Miracles |
| 28 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 101 | ||
| Ashes and Roses |
| 72 | 16 | 7 | — | — | — | 26 | ||
| Songs from the Movie |
| 75 | — | 6 | — | — | — | 95 | ||
| The Things That We Are Made Of |
| 102 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | 47 | ||
| Sometimes Just the Sky |
| — | 29 | 13 | — | — | — | 74 | ||
| The Dirt and the Stars |
| — | 35 | 6 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
| Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US | |||
| Party Doll and Other Favorites |
| 43 | 4 |
|
| The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter |
| — | 60 | |
| Super Hits |
| — | — | |
| Playlist: The Very Best of Mary Chapin Carpenter |
| — | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
| Album details | ||
| ||
| One Night Lonely |
|
| Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [20] | US Cou. [21] | US AC [22] | CAN [23] | CAN Cou. [24] | CAN AC [25] | UK [26] | ||||
| "A Lot Like Me"[27] | 1987 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hometown Girl | |
| "Just Because"[28] | 1988 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "How Do" | 1989 | — | 19 | — | — | 44 | — | — | State of the Heart | |
| "Never Had It So Good" | — | 8 | — | — | 6 | — | — | |||
| "Quittin' Time" | 1990 | — | 7 | — | — | 8 | — | — | ||
| "Something of a Dreamer" | — | 14 | — | — | 8 | — | — | |||
| "You Win Again" | — | 16 | — | — | 6 | — | — | Shooting Straight in the Dark | ||
| "Right Now" | 1991 | — | 15 | — | — | 14 | — | — | ||
| "Down at the Twist and Shout" | — | 2 | — | — | 7 | — | — | |||
| "Going Out Tonight" | — | 14 | — | — | 13 | — | — | |||
| "I Feel Lucky" | 1992 | — | 4 | — | — | 3 | 16 | — | Come On Come On | |
| "Not Too Much to Ask" | — | 15 | — | — | 12 | — | — | |||
| "Passionate Kisses" | 1993 | 57 | 4 | 11 | 39 | 5 | 17 | — | ||
| "The Hard Way" | — | 11 | — | — | 11 | — | — | |||
| "The Bug" | — | 16 | — | — | 24 | — | — | |||
| "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" | — | 2 | — | — | 6 | — | 71 | |||
| "I Take My Chances" | 1994 | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | ||
| "Shut Up and Kiss Me" | 90 | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | 35 | Stones in the Road | ||
| "Tender When I Want to Be" | — | 6 | — | — | 2 | — | — | |||
| "House of Cards" | 1995 | — | 21 | — | — | 22 | — | — | ||
| "Why Walk When You Can Fly" | — | 45 | — | — | 43 | — | — | |||
| "Grow Old with Me" | 1996 | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Let Me into Your Heart" | — | 11 | — | — | 5 | — | — | A Place in the World | ||
| "I Want to Be Your Girlfriend" | 1997 | — | 35 | — | — | 33 | — | — | ||
| "The Better to Dream of You" | — | 64 | — | — | 85 | — | — | |||
| "Keeping the Faith" | — | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Almost Home" | 1999 | 85 | 22 | — | — | 45 | — | — | Party Doll and Other Favorites | |
| "Wherever You Are" | — | 55 | — | — | 74 | — | — | |||
| "Simple Life" | 2001 | — | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | Time* Sex* Love* | |
| "This Is Me Leaving You"[29] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Beautiful Racket"[30] | 2004 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Between Here and Gone | |
| "What Would You Say to Me"[31] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "On with the Song" | 2007 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Calling | |
| "It Must Have Happened" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Christmas Time in the City" | 2008 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas | |
| "I Put My Ring Back On" | 2010 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Age of Miracles | |
| "The Way I Feel" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Soul Companion" [32] | 2012 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ashes and Roses | |
| "Ideas Are Like Stars" | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Songs from the Movie | |
| "Something Tamed Something Wild"[33] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Things That We Are Made Of | |
| "Heroes and Heroines"[34] | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sometimes Just the Sky | |
| "Our Man Walter Cronkite"[35] [36] | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Dirt and the Stars | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
| Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Cou. | CAN Cou. | UK | |||
| "Romeo" | 1993 | 50 | 27 | 33 | — | Slow Dancing with the Moon |
| "One Cool Remove" | 1995 | — | — | — | 40 | Cover Girl |
| "It's Only Love" | 1998 | — | 67 | — | — | Crown of Jewels |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
| Album details | |
| My Record Company Made Me Do This |
|
|---|---|
| Jubilee: Live at Wolf Trap |
|
| Musical Tribute to the Red Cross (with Kevin Pollak and Sawyer Brown) |
|
| Year | Director(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| "Never Had It So Good" | 1989 | Ken Ross | [37] |
| "This Shirt" | 1990 | Bill Pope | [38] |
| "You Win Again" | [39] | ||
| "Down at the Twist and Shout" | 1991 | Jack Cole | [40] |
| "I Feel Lucky" | 1992 | ||
| "Passionate Kisses" | 1993 | Markus Blunder | [41] |
| "Romeo" (as Dolly Parton and Friends) | Randee St. Nicholas | [42] | |
| "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" | 1994 | Bud Schaetzle | [43] |
| "Shut Up and Kiss Me" | Michael Salomon | [44] | |
| "Tender When I Want to Be" | 1995 | [45] | |
| "House of Cards" | [46] | ||
| "One Cool Remove" | David Hogan | ||
| "Let Me Into Your Heart" | 1996 | Steven Goldmann | |
| "The Better to Dream of You" | 1997 | ||
| "Almost Home" | 1999 | Randy Spear | |
| "Wherever You Are" | Steven Goldmann | [47] | |
| Year | Other artist(s) | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Happy Trails"[48] [49] | 1987 | Cathy Fink | When the Rain Comes Down |
| "I Will Stand Fast"[50] | 1988 | Fred Small | I Will Stand Fast |
| "Honeydripper"[51] | 1989 | Tom Principato | I Know What You're Thinkin'... |
| "Hammer and a Nail"[52] | 1990 | Indigo Girls | Nomads Indians Saints |
| "Last Chance Waltz"[53] | 1991 | David Wilcox | Home Again |
| "Climb On (A Back That's Strong)"[54] | 1992 | Shawn Colvin | Fat City |
| "Nobody Wins"[55] | Radney Foster | Del Rio, TX 1959 | |
| "Jenny Dreamed of Trains"[56] | Disney's Country Kids | ||
| "Dreamland"[57] | Til Their Eyes Shine (The Lullaby Album) | ||
| "The Wheel"[58] | 1993 | Rosanne Cash | The Wheel |
| "Talking to a Stranger"[59] | Rodney Crowell | Greatest Hits | |
| "Ain't That as Good"[60] | Patty Larkin | Angels Running | |
| "I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run" | |||
| "You Ain't Going Nowhere"[61] | Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin | The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration | |
| "Romeo"[62] | Dolly Parton | Slow Dancing with the Moon | |
| "The Moon and St. Christopher"[63] | 1994 | 1992 Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Incredibly Live | |
| "One Cool Remove"[64] | Shawn Colvin | Cover Girl | |
| "When You Walk in the Room"[65] | Pam Tillis | Sweetheart's Dance | |
| "Out of the Valley"[66] | John Gorka | Out of the Valley | |
| "Flying Red Horse" | |||
| "It Don't Bring You"[67] | Shelter: Best of Contemporary Singer-Songwriters | ||
| "Diamonds and Rust"[68] | 1995 | Joan Baez | Ring Them Bells |
| "Never Say Die"[69] | Radney Foster | Labor of Love | |
| "We All Get Lucky Sometimes"[70] | Lee Roy Parnell | We All Get Lucky Sometimes | |
| "Where Is a Woman to Go"[71] | Dusty Springfield | A Very Fine Love | |
| "Grow Old with Me"[72] | |||
| "O Mexico"[73] | Trisha Yearwood | Thinkin' About You | |
| "You Didn't Mind"[74] | 1996 | Rory Block | Tornado |
| "Wishing"[75] | Kevin Montgomery | Not Fade Away (Remembering Buddy Holly) | |
| "Endless Seasons"[76] | The Rankin Family | Endless Seasons | |
| "Round of Blues" [77] | Shawn Colvin | Columbia Records Radio Hour, Vol. 2 | |
| "Sugar for Sugar"[78] | Robin and Linda Williams | Sugar for Sugar | |
| "Streets of Gold" | |||
| "Dead Man Walking (A Dream Like This)"[79] | 1997 | Dead Man Walking (soundtrack) | |
| "Somewhere Down Below the Mason Dixon Line"[80] | Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute | ||
| "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"[81] | My Best Friend's Wedding (soundtrack) | ||
| "That's Exactly What I Mean"[82] | Patty Loveless | Long Stretch of Lonesome | |
| "I Belong to You"[83] | 1998 | John Jennings | I Belong to You |
| "The Next in Line" | |||
| "It's Only Love"[84] | Randy Scruggs | Crown of Jewels | |
| "Oh Lonesome Me"[85] | A Tribute to Tradition | ||
| "Bells Are Ringing"[86] | 1999 | And So This Is Christmas | |
| "Deserted Soldier"[87] | The Chieftains | Tears of Stone | |
| "Pretty Polly"[88] | Darol Anger | Heritage | |
| "Roses"[89] | Catie Curtis | A Crash Course in Roses | |
| "Rumble"[90] | 2000 | Robin and Linda Williams | In the Company of Strangers |
| "So Long, See You Tomorrow" | |||
| "Where Are You Now"[91] | Trisha Yearwood | Real Live Woman | |
| "Alone But Not Lonely"[92] | Mary Ann Redmond | Here I Am | |
| "Blue Night"[93] | Ricky Skaggs | Big Mon: The Songs of Bill Monroe | |
| "The Moon and St. Christopher" [94] | 2001 | Mary Black | The Best of Mary Black 1991–2001 and Hidden Harvest |
| "This Shirt" [95] | Concerts for a Landmine-Free World | ||
| "Silent Night"[96] | 2002 | Garrison Starr | Songs from Take Off to Landing |
| "Hardest Part of Living" | |||
| "Spring and All"[97] | Going Driftless: An Artist's Tribute to Greg Brown | ||
| "Flesh and Blood"[98] | Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris | ||
| "Empty Rooms"[99] | 2003 | Caitlin Cary | I'm Staying Out |
| "The Next One" | |||
| "Lorraine Today" | |||
| "Home #235"[100] | 2004 | Robin and Linda Williams | Deeper Waters |
| "Old Plank Road" | |||
| "Peace Call"[101] | Eliza Gilkyson | Land of Milk and Honey | |
| "Laughlin Boy"[102] | 2005 | Tracy Grammer | Flower of Avalon |
| "Mother, I Climbed" | |||
| "Any Way I Do" | |||
| "Unchained Melody" [103] | The Boomchicks John Cowan | Telluride Bluegrass Festival: 30 Years | |
| "Water and Stone"[104] | 2006 | Catie Curtis | Long Night Moon |
| "One More Time"[105] | 2007 | Donna Hughes | Gaining Wisdom |
| "Father Time" | |||
| "Scattered to the Wind" | |||
| "Not Anymore" | |||
| "Hold On" | |||
| "The Weeping Willow"[106] | Devon Sproule | Keep Your Silver Shined | |
| "Violets of Dawn"[107] | 2009 | The Village (429) | |
| "Before and After"[108] | 2010 | Carrie Newcomer | Before and After |
| "Chained to Those Lovin' Arms"[109] | Patty Larkin | 25 | |
| "Let It Last"[110] | 2011 | Catie Curtis | Stretch Limousine on Fire |
| "Traveling Shoes"[111] | 2012 | Caroline Herring | Camilia |
| "White Dress" | |||
| "Home"[112] | Kate Rusby | 20 | |
| "I Have a Need for Solitude"[113] | 2013 | Transatlantic Sessions 6, Vol. 1 | |
| "A Quiet Line"[114] | Lucy Wainwright Roche | There's a Last Time for Everything | |
| "I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado"[115] | |||
| "It Don't Bring You"[116] | 2014 | Aly Bain | Transatlantic Sessions: Series 6, Vol.3 |
| "Transcendental Reunion"[117] | Transatlantic Sessions: Series 6, Vol. 2 | ||
| "Oh Mama" | |||
| "Catch the Wind"[118] | 2016 | Joan Baez | 75th Birthday Celebration |
| "All the Roadrunning"[119] | Vince Gill | The Life & Songs of Emmylou Harris: An All-Star Concert Celebration | |